Husker Corner
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Nebraska football not paying top dollar for head man

By Oliver VanDervoort

LINCOLN, NE - DECEMBER 5: Mike Riley, newly hired head football coach at the University of Nebraska, talks with members of the media during a press conference inside Memorial Stadium December 5, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - DECEMBER 5: Mike Riley, newly hired head football coach at the University of Nebraska, talks with members of the media during a press conference inside Memorial Stadium December 5, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images) /
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The myth that the university is willing to pay whatever it takes for a Nebraska football coach has been out there for a while.

A recent report should make Nebraska football fans really stop and think about what level of commitment this University has given to the program. We often hear that any resources Mike Riley and company need is at their disposal.

We also often hear that if we need to replace Riley, money is no object in paying for that replacement. After looking at where the Huskers rank in terms of head coach’s salary, both of those statements need to be looked at with a jaundiced eye.

USA Today released the full list of coach salaries for every FBS school and Land of 10 was nice enough to break down where the Big Ten men stood. It’s not a particularly pretty portrait for the Cornhuskers. Mike Riley is making $2.9 million per year.

That’s a tidy sum to most people not involved in college athletics. It ranks Riley 41st in the country. That also ranks him 11th in the conference. Before you say something like “his performance hasn’t earned him a contract any higher,” know I don’t necessarily disagree with you.

There’s a big “but” coming though. What have Lovie Smith, Jeff Brohm and PJ Fleck done that warrants them making more than Riley? That’s right. Purdue, Illinois, and Minnesota are all paying their head coaches more than Nebraska is paying ours. Only Maryland, Rutgers, and Indiana pay their head coaches less.

So the question that should be on ever Husker fan’s mind is, if we do indeed replace Riley this offseason, is Bill Moos going to have the assets available to him to go get whoever we need and want? Is all the talk of Scott Frost due to him being the best candidate, or is it about knowing we can afford to give him a raise?

The university is invested heavily in paying guys that no longer work for it. Getting rid of Riley would further invest it in that area. It’s time to take a cold hard look at whether or not we have the cash to play with the big boys. Was the hiring of Riley due in part because we couldn’t lure in better and bigger names with what we were willing to dole out?

Related Story: Mike Riley ‘destined’ to be fired?

Before the Nebraska football program ever has a chance to return to the glory days, those are questions that need to be answered. We’re in real trouble if the answer to that last question is “yes.”

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